Multiple head coal mining auger



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1958 INVENTOR. @502 L Am M5 H15 A rroeusr June 14,1960 G. L. ADAMS MULTIPLE HEAD COAL MINING AUGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1958 mmvrox GEORGE L. ADAMS B I fimzfiz H14 A rrazuzv June 14, 1960 a. L. ADAMS MULTIPLE HEAD COAL MINING AUGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 20, 1958 H15 ArroeuEr June 14, 1960 e. L. ADAMS MULTIPLE HEAD COAL MINING AUGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 20, 1958 mmvrm 650265 L ADAMS a y W H1 .5 Arronn/EY MULTIPLE HEAD CQJAL MJNING AUGER George L. Adams, Saiem, Ohio, assignor to The Salem Tool Company, Salem, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Mar. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 722,789

14 Claims. (Q1. 262-26) This invention relates generally to coal augers and more particularly to coal augers having a multiple series of cutting heads.

Coal angering is known as punch mining and with a single auger having a cutting head of the appropriate size for mining a given seam of coal, the coal yield may be 70% or greater. This yield may be increased by increasing the number of cutting heads and auger strings.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of two spaced apart auger strings connected to drive three or more cutting heads. The two auger strings are preferably of opposite hand and spaced from each other.

Another object is the provision of a coal angering machine having four or more cutting heads propelled by spaced angering strings of opposite hand and a fixed length of anger sections extending rearwardly from each of the intermediate cutting heads to convey the freshly cut coal laterally to the outer auger strings which in turn convey the coal to the opening started by the augering cutting heads. This structure has limitations as to the number of cutting heads relative to the number of conveying auger strings. Where two auger strings are well loaded in conveying four cutting heads, it is necessary to add an additional conveying auger string for each additional cutting head added. Thus two auger strings function for three or four cutting heads but five cutting heads would require three auger strings. This avoids overloading the conveying strings. It is feasible to employ a conveying auger string for each cutter head but it is an unnecessary expenditure in auger sections and power when a less number of anger strings can do the work. The power transmitted through the auger Strings to rotate .the cutting heads and drive them into the coal still provides enough additional power to convey a full auger load of coal rearwardly.

The withdrawal of the head also functions as a cleanup leaving a clean hole of three, four or more auger widths as the case may be. The fixed length of the laterally conveying augers behind the intermediate cutting heads should move all of the coal to the outside auger strings. However, a plowboard trailing behind these fixed auger lengths will force the spillage to the outer auger strings. Adjacent plowboards have suificient spacing therebetween to admit spillage when the cutting heads are withdrawn, however the augers should be turned to feed the coal back when the cutting heads are withdrawn. These are important features of this invention.

The rear of the fiXed length lateral conveying augers may be joined together by a lateral bearing rod to keep them steady and from plowing into one another. This bearing rod may be replaced by one that includes not only the rear end of the fixed length lateral conveying augers but also the outer auger strings. Some types of coal may be readily conveyed laterally so that the fixed length augers need only be one auger section long before the bearing bar is inserted. Other characters of "ice coal may require two or even three auger sections to transfer the coal laterally from behind the central cutter heads to the outer auger strings for conveying rearwardly.

The lateral boring rod which supports the rear end of the laterally conveying augers with the auger strings preferably includes the connecting timing gears between each of these auger sections rather than placing these timing gears immediately behind the rotary cutting members. This permits the use of small hearings to support each of the auger shafts in the stationary barrel immediately behind the cutting members to allow more room for the passage of coal rearwardly and by the time this coal passes under the lateral bearing rod containing the timing gears it is well distributed and will readily flow under this lateral bearing rod with its timing gears.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the claims thereto certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the structure comprising this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a long bearing bar connecting the trailing ends of the fixed length lateral auger conveyors and the outer conveyor strings.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of the head shown in Fig. l.

} Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view showing the long bearing bar of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7-is a transverse sectional view in back of the cutting head taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the multiple cutting head auger machine comprises the frame 1 made up of the outer parallel longitudinal rail members 2 and 3 and the intermediate rail members 4, 5 and 6, all of which are connected by the transverse channel members 7 directly joined to the bottoms of each of the longitudinal rail members. Gusset plates 8 connect the longitudinal members with the transverse channel members 7 and extend transversely of the machine having upper semicylindrical edges to receive and support the belly plates 10, 11, 12 and 13. These arcuate belly plates are provided with the transverse opening 14 adjacent the front of the machine through which the coal is dropped from the augers to the belt conveyor member 15 which may be extended to either side of the machine for the purpose of removing the coal from the vicinity of the machine. The conveyor 15 elevates the coal so that it may be transferred to another conveyor or to a truck or shuttle car for the purpose of removing the coal from the vicinity of the machine as disclosed in Compton 2,616,677.

As shown in Fig. 2 each mining machine has a pair of transverse skids 16 that are suspended on the underside of the frame 1 directly below the rollers 17 cam'ed by the frame for the purpose of supporting the weight of the machine directly on the top surface of the skids. When the machine is resting on the ground the skids extend below the roller surface of the channel members 7. Each skid is provided with a double acting cylinder or jack member 18 to move the skid back and forth when the machine is not resting thereon or to move the machine thereon when it is resting on the skids and the skids are resting on the ground. With this arrangement the machine may be moved laterally in either direction V so that it will not interfer etwith rot d n r The forwardiendof the .machine frame l is provided Wlfl1 a guide bar- 1 35 whiehis slid'ablelong'itudinaliy or turned around and becomes quite mobile in a mining bench or pit.

When mining the machine frame 1 is preferably supported by the elevating jacks of which there are four.

' These jacks elevate the machine so that the auger cutting heads are disposed to cut into the vein of coal. Frequently the'ground is not level and requires substantial double acting and is independently controlled so as 'to provide the: proper balance for'leveling of the machine.

Each of thejcontrols for the jacks as well as the ot. er 'inachines is'located at the operators position indicated The rear f'the frame i supports the motor platform 22on which isrmounted the motor 23. 7 This motor providesthe power for driving'the auger heads and'a second motor 24iadjacent thefl operatorsl'stationfis provided for supplying .fitiid under pressure to, actuate the machine through each of the controls at'the operators station.

I e'r QtQr 24 e ate t e ppmn which s pp i s fluid preferably hydraulic fluid under; pressure to the fluid pr ssu e tank la ds-e it is t fi bl sd' 9 $.1 w

' m r thro gh-t e va eiq nt b s stemi t The main motor 23 is connected through the reduction gear 27 to a crosshead gearbox 28 that provides a drive con e ion gt upl ns 39 i s ea h o ou of h s s units 31, 32, 33 and34. Each of these drives isfinterconnected by driving gears Within the gearbox 28 so as to operate in timed relation with each other. I The. gearbox 82 m e back. and f r ,by t doub e a t cylinders 29. The two augerunits 31 and -32 on the left side of the machine are righthand auger units and aire gotated when viewed from the front of the machine in I a counterclockwise direction; whereas the auger units 33 i and fidpntherighthand s ide: of the machine have left V I hand augertfiights and are rotatedclockwise when viewed from thet front of the machine. These auger unitsj have' their anger drive couplings arranged; so that when eachjauger seetion, is insertedttherjeimiit rwill be positioned d he aue 'wh ontop of the frame 1 by mea s of the jack members 36 to lmove it"against the coal iia ce forguiding thelauge r 'heads'as they enterthe coal seam and to 'keep the high wall or roof from falling onto the coal being delivered 7 by theaugers. This guide member takes the form of the four auger membe'rs 31,32, 33 andi34each of which V is overlapped to .some degree as illustrated in Rigid.

a The cylinders 23 move the V bracing support to move the angers into the' coal which 7 is obtained through the jacks 20. Each of'the jacks is gearbox 28 back and forth to utilize the auger sections 31 and 34 in feeding the mining heads into the coalas they rotate the same to mine and remove the coal and to- Withdraw thet'm ining heads after the auger strings have penetrated to their fullest depth. The gearbox 38 as shown in Fig. 4 occupies the upper portion of the nonrotary barrel that follows the cutter heads and does not in anyway interfere with the passage of coal rearwardly through the barrel 35. However, as 'shown in Figs. 3 and 5 the Conveyor 7 blade members 43 are placed on the shafts 40 to: 43 respectively for the purpose or insuring that the coal'will not becomelodged between the cutter heads and the gearbox and for thepurpose or initiallyp'ropelling the coal through the nonrotary barrel 35. Although the auger sections 31 and 34 extend directly tothe machine,

the intermediateauger units 32 and 33 may be made up ofone, two or three auger sections depending upon the fixed length of these sections depending upon'how long it takes to have them move'the coal from their intermediate position laterally to the auger sections 31 and 34; Thus the number of actual auger sections making up these fixed auger'sections 32 and'33 depends upon the character of the coal being'rnined. V 7

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the rear ends of the middle 7 or fixed length auger units32 and 33 are tied together by the transverse bearing rod member 50 having a bearingf51 and 52' tojre'ceive each of the ends of the" auger sections 33 and 32 respectively. This bearing member is detachably coupled to the last auger sections of the auger units 32 and 33 and merely "holds'thm in their proper relative position; 'However, they are otherwise nee to swing as a unitwithin the limits of the tolerances .coupling theauger sections; 'The bearing rod 50 also supportsthe plow sections- 53 and 54 which insure that last spillage of coal was thrown to the respective shownin McCarthy 2,864,6(11 is provided with a transt versely disposed gear housing- 38 which interconnects each :of the shafts-4t), 41, Aland; 43 of the four-rotary cutting heads 44, 45 46;.and 47 to maintainthe same in timed relation at the forward end ofthe angering machine and in the same manneras that in; crosshead gearbox 28. Each of the shafts t) to 43am connected toreach of the shafts making up the auger sections 31; t 7 32,33 and'34 respectively-andcouplings are providedcn opposite sides o f the gearbox 38 for :detachably coupling well-as theauger sectionsv too. The V auger sections31 and 34 pass all the way back to the cutting heads as cross-head gearbox23 onthe machine and represent the drrvlng shafts for each of the four cutting heads as T vvell as the means for returning the coal to the. open. pit or position where the machine 1 is located so that it may be conveyed laterallyfrom the machine by the conveyor-'15- outerfaugenstrin'g's 34 and 3 1.re' spectively. These plow 1 sections are spaced apart as indicated at 55 so that when the u nit is withdrawn from the hole bored, any spillage that remains in the central portionis channeled back to the rotary auger units 32 and 33 and againlaterally conveyed to the respective auger sections 31 and 34.

. The structure shown in Fig. 6 is a modified showing of the bearing bar 56 which not only includes the bearing members 51 and 52 for the intermediate fixed length auger units 32 and 33tbutalso'provides forthe bearing members 57 and 58 for the auger string sections 3 1' and 34 respectively. These bearing units provide a small gap in the conveyor strings and permit the coupling 'ofthe auger sections making up the strings 31 and 34 on each "side of the bearings '57 and 58 respectively. l'Ifh is con- 7 struction together with the gear box 38 and the four auger s'ections 31 to 34 provides a more rigid frame member aft of the mining section and extends the mining head 60 from therotary cutters to the bearing bar 56.

fIclaim':

"1. An auger mining machine having a plurality of rotatable and arially movable parallel mining auger means connected together at, their outer ends by a gear train 7 ,and a rotary cutt'erhead for each' auger means, characterized iii-that selected of said auger means extend rearwardly toamotor drive ona b'as'eframe and the other of auger means -are. short; the flight 1611: said short auger means curvedttofeed their mined material laterally to .said selected auger'means for rearwardtravel.

2.; The augerminingmachine of claim '1 characterized in that said auger meanstall lie horizontally in ,the same plane and said selected auger means are the outermost angers, one havinga left hand flight -and theflothera right hand i '3. An auger mining machine having a plurality of rotatable and axially movable parallel mining angers selected of said angers extend rearwardly to a motor drive on a base frame and the other of said angers are short and feed their mined material to said selected angers for rearward travel, a transverse bearing bar connecting the other ends of said short angers.

4. An anger mining machine having a plurality of rotatable and axially movable parallel mining angers connected together at their outer ends by a gear train and a rotary cutter head for each anger, characterized in that selected of said angers extend rearwardly to a motor drive on a base frame and the other of said angers are short and feed their mined material to said selected angers for rearward travel, a transverse bearing bar connecting all of said angers at the position of the inner ends of said short angers.

5. An auger mining machine having a plurality of rotatable and axially movable parallel mining angers connected together at their outer ends by a gear train and a rotary cutter head for each auger, characterized in that selected of said angers extend rearwardly to a motor drive on a base frame and the other of said angers are short and feed their mined material to said selected angers for rearward travel, a transverse bearing bar connecting at least said short angers at their inner ends, and plow shave means carried by said bearing bar to move any spillage of the mined material to said selected angers.

6. The auger mining machine of claim 1 characterized by a nonrotary barrel enclosing said gear train and aiding to guide the rotary cutting heads extended in front of said barrel.

7. An anger minin machine comprising right and ieft hand rotary auger strings providing outer anger strings on the left and right sides of a substantially horizontal machine, an enclosed transverse gear train means extending between the outer ends of said auger strings, a series of rotary cutting heads driven from the front of said gear train means to mine a single hole, short angers intermediate said right and left hand rotary auger strings extending rearwardly from said gear train means and driven by said gear train means, the flights on said short angers curved to feed the mined material laterally to said outer auger strings.

8. The auger mining machine of claim 7 characterized in that the intermediate rotary cutting heads each have an aligned short anger there behind.

9. The anger mining machine of claim 7 characterized in that there are four rotary cutting heads, one for each outer auger string and two intermediate, there being two short angers one right and one left hand for said intermediate rotary cutting heads.

lO. An auger mining machine having a plurality of rotatable and axially movable parallel mining angers connected together at their outer ends by a gear train and a 'rotary cutter head for each anger, characterized in that selected of said angers extend rearwardly to a motor drive on a base frame and'the other of said angels are short and feed their mined material to said selected angers for rearward travel, a transverse bearing bar connecting said angers at the position of the inner ends of said short angers, and blade means on said bearing bar in back of each short auger to sweep the spillage to the outer angers.

11. The auger mining machine of claim 10 characterized in that said blade means are spaced apart to deflect any mine material therebetween when being retracted fiom the mined hole for lateral conveying by the short angers to the outer angers.

12. The anger mining machine of claim 7 characterized in that each of said angers overlaps the adjacent auger.

13. The anger mining machine of claim 1 characterized in that the paths of the outermost cutting portions of adjacent cutting heads overlap each other, and each of said angers just clears its adjacent anger.

14. The auger mining machine of claim 1 characterized in that the paths of the outermost cutting portions of adjacent cutting heads overlap each other, and the perimetral edges of each anger just clears the path of the perimetral edge of its adjacent angers.

France Jan. 18, 1921 (Addition to No. 498,546) 

